Monday, January 10, 2011

The Main Thing -Resurrection January 9

God raised Jesus from the dead! (I Peter 1:21)
I start off with saying that because I want to be very clear in this declaration –God raised Jesus from the dead! The fact that Jesus was dead was never in question. The ruling authorities of the time knew Jesus was dead. His enemies knew he was dead. His friends knew he was dead. Jesus had predicted it, the Pharisees and religious leaders wanted, the Romans did it and no one doubted it –Jesus -was -dead.
The problem they had was not with his death but with his resurrection. Three days after the death of Jesus the tomb was empty. That was the problem, that was the fear, that was the hope, that Jesus indeed had risen from the dead. A story was fabricated –the body was stolen by the disciples, in spite of all the precautions the body was gone and so a story made up –the disciples took the body. Yet, those very same ones accused of taking the body themselves doubted. Rather than a group of people plotting and scheming on how to take the body, they hid in fear, the bowed in tears, they mourned and they trembled, some even sought to escape by leaving town. Rather than a group of courageous men coming to take on a well trained group of soldiers, a few women came not to steal a body but to prepare it for permanent burial. The followers of Jesus were just as surprised as the authorities that the body was not there. God had raised Jesus from the dead.
Over the next 40 days this very same Jesus showed himself to many people many times. Sometimes there was one or two, other times there were as many as 500. We read that on at least 11 occasions Jesus appeared –not as an ethereal vision or manifestation, but as a tangible, touchable very real person one who talked, was touched, even ate fish on the shore of Galilee. God had raised Jesus from the dead, no matter the rumors, no matter the bribes to say otherwise there was no doubt, even to the most doubtful people, no doubt, in any one’s mind that Jesus had been raised from the dead. God had raised Jesus from the dead!
But more than just a resurrected or resuscitated body, Jesus was a transformed body. He was recognizable and yet more. He was resurrected into a body that was sown in a perishable body, but raised imperishable, sown in dishonor but raised in glory, sown in weakness but raised in power, sown in the natural and raised in the spiritual (I Corinthians 15:42-44), this body as the first fruits of those who would come, those who would belong to Him (15:20). God had raised Jesus from the dead –raised Him into eternity in glory and power and majesty.
This very act of resurrection is vital to our hope, our faith, our purpose our eternity. This very act of resurrection is perhaps “the” thing upon which all of who we are and what we do, all of what we hope for and believe is based.
There are in the course of events certain things that happen that you look back and say, that was when it all made sense, or that was the turning point of the game, or everything hinged on this happening. In the recent Junior’s world cup for Canada it was the game against the Swedes. Several commentators said that was the turning point for Canada –they realized they were playing other very good teams in this tournament not just going through the motions until they met the USA in, what they hoped, was a gold medal final to vindicate the loss last year. And then there came the final game against Russia –game in hand, up three goals. Turning point? Well, there is a lot of debate on that, but something certainly happened that changed the whole game and its outcome.
In other events there may be something that everything else hinges on. If this does not happen then everything else falls apart. In a war it may be a certain battle. In a battle it may be a certain movement of the troops. It may be secrecy, or something else. Everything depends on this one event, this one action or success is not possible. Remove that one element, that one key, and it all falls apart. The resurrection is so important, so crucial to our hope –our eternity, our purpose.
Let us read from I Corinthians 15:12-20.
God has raised Jesus from the dead. You remove this from our theology, our doctrine, our beliefs and everything else crumbles. There is a movement, and has been for many years, to deny or disbelieve in the resurrection –and this is amoung so called Christian groups! There are many people, in and out of the church who believe in Jesus. They believe he was a good man, a great teacher, even a prophet. They do things in his name –even may do great things, and they will even believe that he died –but the resurrection? Some believe it was just a metaphor for the rest of us –Jesus did not rise from the dead but that his disciples continued to live out his reality.
Why is the resurrection so important? Well, there are the reasons I have just given and that we read about from Paul, but there 10 key reasons I would challenge us with today.
Because God raised Jesus from the dead all authority is given to Him. Look at some of the key passages we have that proclaim the authority of Jesus and His glory –Matthew 28:18 “All authority has been given to me.” And then Ephesians 1:18-23. Take out the resurrection and there is no authority, there is no power. God has raised Jesus from the dead and all authority is given to Him! God has exalted Him to the highest place and given Him the name that is above every other name (Philippians 2:9). The resurrection established his Lordship and authority –he is the king of kings and Lord of Lords.
Because God raised Jesus from the dead then the words and teachings of Jesus must be truth! If Jesus did not rise from the dead then what authority does he have to speak truth. One of the things he said many times in different ways was he would rise from the dead. After all, then if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then his saying he would means he was wrong, and if he got that wrong, what else did he get wrong? Were his statements about being the son of God correct? What about his saying he was the only way to the father? If there were no resurrection then we are left in doubt about the veracity of Jesus teaching. We can take what we like and apply it as we would from any good teacher, but to take it as truth? Because God raised Jesus from the dead and has given Him all authority and has shown the veracity of his teachings then they must be followed!
And that is a key reason I believe why many, even in the church who may believe in God will pull away from the resurrection –if Jesus really did rise from the dead, and all authority is then given to him then his words, his teachings, his commands must be followed. The resurrection adds an exclamation mark to all of the teachings of Jesus –all of his statements.
-I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the father but by me! –Resurrection!
-If you love me, obey my commands –Resurrection!
-I am the vine you are the branches –remain in me –resurrection!
-God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that who ever believe in him will have everlasting life –resurrection!
If Jesus was just a good man, just a good teacher, just a moral guide, then the words he spoke can be taken or left –we can pick an choose what we want to believe is true or worth following. Much as we would follow the teachings of Buddha or Benjamin Franklin or any other teacher and giver of advice. But if Jesus is risen, if he is indeed given all authority if he is Lord and King and all are placed under his feet, then what he says, what he teaches is truth.
Because God raised Jesus from the dead, Jesus has the power to judge. John 5:19-30. All authority is given to Jesus in heaven and earth, and he will judge. And there are two things to note here. The first is that there will be a judgment of separation. This is the judgment where those who are true believers in Jesus Christ will be separated from those who are not.
The Bible, the words of Jesus are very clear on this. Believe in me and you have life, follow my commands and you have life, be led by the Spirit and have life, I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me. Early on Jesus talked about the judgment of separation in his discourse called the sermon on the mount (Mathew 7 15-23) and then again in his parable on the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25. This final judgment of separation is hard for a lot of people to take and so we come up with such things as “all paths lead to God” or “Jesus is just one of many ways.”
The resurrection places Jesus uniquely and singularly as having the power and the authority to judge. And He will judge by the standard the Father has set –believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved! This is not just a mental ascent. Jesus himself says that many will call him Lord yet still be separated from him.
Belief begins in the holiness and righteousness of the sovereign God. We are separated from God because of sin and stand in judgment because of our sin. We, as sinful and separate beings being’s we cannot bring anything to God to offer for our salvation –we are not saved by the law or works –simply following the teachings of Jesus are not enough (Ephesians 2). Jesus Christ, as God’s son, is the only way to forgiveness and cleansing from our sin (Hebrews 2:17). We must confess (admit our sin), and believe (put our trust in Christ as our only hope) and repent (change our lives to match His. All who receive Him (Jesus and believe in His name (Jesus) he gave the right to become the children of God.
God has raised Jesus from the dead and given Him the right to judge-to separate, those who believe and those who do not. Jesus tied the resurrection and faith in him together when he met a woman named Martha who had just lost her brother in death. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe?” That I the question we need to ask ourselves –do I believe? God raised Jesus from the dead –do you believe?
Further there is also the judgment of actions. This is for those who have gone through the judgment of separation and now stand before the throne of Jesus. Paul in II Corinthians 5:10 say’s that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. (read). This is the obedience factor for followers of Jesus. Jesus made it very clear “If you love me you will obey my commands” (John 14:15). God has raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus has been given all authority, his words are true and he has been given the power and right to judge.
But even more and I am going to run through these quickly but do not lose sight of their importance and impact in our lives!
John Piper says in his book “Seeing and savoring Jesus Christ” says the resurrection vindicates the sufficiency of the cross that Jesus death and sacrifice was enough for our salvation. The price has been paid, the debt of sin accounted for. Jesus has paid it all, nothing more is needed because he has laid down his life as our ransom and death no longer has mastery of Him but he has conquered death! Colossians 2:14-15
Because he has been raised our forgiveness is real and permanent. Jesus has assured our salvation and all who believe in Him will be saved! Take great hope in this, take great confidence in this –because he lives we too shall live! (Colossians 2:13)
Because he has been raised from the dead he now stands at the Heavenly Father’s right hand making intercession for us –Jesus is praying and asking the father on our behalf. We pray in Jesus name because he is risen and can have the confidence that our great high priest is there –one who knows our struggles and loves us eternally. (Hebrews 7:25)
Because he has been raised from the dead he can give us his Spirit to teach and to guide us, comfort and protect us, fill us and empower us. (John 14:16)
Because Jesus is raised from the dead he can and does commission us to carry on His work –to spread the good news of His coming and the salvation that is offered. Because he lives he continues to work through us to build His kingdom, his church against which the gates of hell will not prevail! (Acts 1:8)
Because he is raised form the dead he has defeated the enemy –stepped on the head of the serpent. The victory is won. And more he has defeated the grave and death no longer holds its grip. For all who believe in Him are given the gift of eternal life and we shall be like him. (I Corinthians 15)
Because he has been raised from the dead we can, and to me this is one of the most important comforting and challenging aspects of the whole thing, because he has been raised from the dead he can be with us and is with us, even to the ends of the earth. Immanuel! God with us, Jesus with us! At Christmas we see the promise of Immanuel and indeed He has come as a baby, God in flesh. But even more powerfully, more fully, more incredibly he is Immanuel –God with us because he is risen! (Matthew 28:20)
Over the next several weeks we are going to look at how this presence of the risen savior affects some of the key areas of our lives. It should and can have a tremendous impact in our day to day living, our worship, our ministry, our growth, our sharing the good news. The Lord is Risen! He has risen Indeed!

God has raised Jesus from the dead and this gives us hope –he is the first born from amoung the dead and he has the power to raise us up with Himself! (Romans 8:11)

Oranges aren't suppoed to be seedless -Dec 26

I am sure everyone here knows what this is –a Mandarin “Christmas” Orange. These have been a staple in our household every year ever since I can remember. Getting these oranges each year at Christmas was a special treat. When I was kid we always got these oranges on Christmas morning, there were one or two in our stocking, always at the toe.
One of the good things about them was that they were seedless. They were sweet, juicy and refreshing, but the thing I remember most is they were seedless. And we have come along in our society to have several fruits that are like that –seedless. There are bananas, grapes and watermelon and I am sure probably a few others that are around. We like the pleasure and ease of eating our fruit without having to stop and spit out the seeds, to bite into a juicy piece of fruit without the irritation of the seed. But you know something –these types of fruits are aberrations –they are not natural. We have engineered through selective breeding and sometimes through genetic alteration fruit that are really freaks in nature .
When I was in high school biology I can remember having the teacher stand in front of the class and talk about how fruit are the plants way of getting it’s seeds scattered around. The tree would produce an enticing sweet shell which surrounded its seeds so that some animal would come along, eat the enticing shell, swallow the seeds as well, then at a later time would expel the remains –largely the seeds, at a different location. Mr. Pike would stand up and say, “How does it feel to be fooled by a plant to do it’s work?”
Well, we know that is how God created things to be. But he also created different fruits for us to enjoy and benefit from as part of our diet. But the idea is still the same –the plant makes this fleshy tasty outer shell to surround the seed so that its seeds will be scattered and continue to make the plant to continue on for future plant generations. It is the way they regenerate and propagate. The purpose of the plant is not in producing the fleshy outer shell, the purpose of the plant is producing seed. If the plant existed just to produce the sweet outer shell and flesh, how would it continue to exist? That is why seedless oranges and grapes and watermelons are aberrations. They cannot survive in nature, not without intervention such as grafting.
Trees, vines, plants, produce seeds. They are created by God to reproduce (read Genesis 1:11-13). The fleshy part is to be attractive to us so that we carry the seeds and place them elsewhere in order to reproduce more of that plant or vine. The purpose of the plant in producing the seed is reproduction, making more of itself.
This helps me to understand what Jesus may be intending when he talks about His being the vine and we are the branches, and as branches we are to bear fruit. Often we look at this passage and we read into it Galatians 5:22-23 and the fruit of the spirit –love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness and self control. But is that what Jesus is referring to here?
I think that as good as these things are, these fruit of the Spirit, they are more of the skin, the fleshy part of what people see and desire. After all, who would not look at these fruit in our lives and go –I want some of that! I want peace in my life, I want joy in my life, I want patience and goodness and love. But is that really what we offer? No, this appealing outer layer has the purpose spreading the gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ came to this earth for a purpose, to bring the god news to us Mark 1 reads that he went throughout the region of Galilee preaching and teaching this message of good news, that people would hear and come to know the salvation of God. In Luke 4 Jesus is standing in front of the people in the synagogue and he reads from Isaiah that the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him and he is to preach the good news to the poor, proclaim freedom to the prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, release the oppressed and proclaim the ear of the Lord. (18-19). Later, when he had been healing people and laying hands on them and people wanted him stay and keep doing this (the attraction stuff), he said, no, I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God! (43).” And this is the directive he gave us –to go into the world and preach the good news (Mark 15:16).
And so, the seed for me is Christ-likeness. Our goal, our purpose, is to more and more conformed to the image of Christ. Becoming more like Jesus Christ and doing the things He did –fulfilling his purpose of growing the kingdom, spreading the good news. Becoming more Christ-like. Sounds ominous and daunting –at least to me. How can I become Christ –like? Well, I can’t. And that brings us back to the passage in John 15. We cannot do it on our own. Rather we are to be tied into the vine, into the source –Christ Himself.
Jesus said, I am the vine, you are the branches, the father is the gardener. Remain in me and I in you, no branch can bear fruit by itself, is must remain in the vine. (15:1,4). The fruit of Christ-likeness, that seed which grows to become more and more like Jesus, must be connected to the vine. To bear the fruit of Christ-likeness we must be attached to the vine (vs. 5). In this we grow and flourish become more like Him.
Jesus, in the verses surrounding this teaching on the vine, promises his disciples that he will give them his Spirit. This Spirit, His Spirit, will be with us to teach us, comfort us, guide us, secure us in Him. He further says He will give us His love, His peace, His joy that is beyond the understanding of this world (cf 14:25-27).
When we accept that our God is righteous, holy and sovereign over al things and that we are fallen, sinful creatures who are separated from this holy God because of our unrighteousness, when we see our need for radical change, for a new heart, a new relationship with God and tat only through Jesus Christ is that change possible –that He died for our sins and made an atonement, a final and complete payment for our sins, when we confess and repent and become attached to the vine –then he begins to grow in us. Salvation is not just saying I am sorry to God but salvation is radically changing our lives to become more like Jesus Christ. This is called sanctification –the progressive working of the Spirit in our lives to more and more make us free from sin and more and more like Christ in our actual lives (Grudem, pg. 746).
Jesus does not just save us to look good –to have joy and peace and self control and all the other outward things, but he saves us and works in us to sanctify us. That is why he gave us His Spirit and why he continually says, obey what I command, just as he, Jesus, did what the father commanded him (14:31; 15:17). We are to do as Jesus did –seek first and foremost the glory of God, live a life that is on obedience to God, become more and more like Christ and to fulfill his purpose –tell the good news!
One of the true purposes of the vine producing branches that are fruitful is not so that there can be an appealing, eye catching sweet object –but to produce something that will reproduce, make more.
The things we call the fruit of the Spirit all emerge out of our life in Christ. A part of their appeal is that –to be appealing, to attract people to Christ. And in that the good news can be shared with them and they can become grow in the vine. Our purpose in life is not just to bear fruit but to be fruitful –to multiply, to bring others closer to God through our fruit, through our words, our deeds, our lives, our hope. The fruit of the Spirit is a testimony of the working of Christ in is through Hi Spirit so that we may be able to give a reason for the hope we have, n opportunity to share the good news, a chance to bring someone closer to the God Who made them, loves them, came as Immanuel, died for them and rose again to return for them.
I love these oranges. But ultimately, they are just nice, sweet unproductive mutants. Their real purpose, to produce seeds and to produce more has been lost. Sadly, many Christians are like that, or are becoming like that. In fact the church as a whole is somewhat like that isn’t it. We try to be appealing but we lack the true inner fruit –Christ-likeness, and we lack his purpose –to share the good news –spread the gospel.

This morning as you leave there will be available for those who desire, one of these fruit. Take it an ponder as you eat it –am I fruitless, seedless? Or do I desire to be fruitfull?

Abide in Me -December 19

The Sunday before Christmas it may seem a little unusual to talk about something at the end of Jesus life. After all isn’t Christmas about the beginning of His life. Yes, but all of Jesus’ life was leading up to the end. His purpose was to come to this world to give Himself. The coming of the baby Jesus would be meaningless without the context of his death. That is why he came. He came, we read in Matthew 1:21, “to save his people from their sins.”
But it is the next few verses of Matthew 1 that bring us one of the great promises and assurances we have because Christ came. Read Matthew 1:22-23. Immanuel, God with us. We looked at this last week through the account of Ahaz and the prophet Isaiah. God gives us the opportunity to see and experience His power and presence in our lives. And it is because He is with us, God with us, that we can experience this. Ahaz had the opportunity and he turned it down. The result for him was disaster.
We are given that opportunity too, to connect with God, to experience Immanuel. John 1:12 says, “yet all who receive him, to those who believe in His name –what name, the name of Jesus, savior, he gave the right to become the children of God.”
Do you believe? Do you believe in the child who has come and is the son of God, the savior? Do you believe he has come to save his people –to save you from your sins?
Most of us here have done that, I am sure. We have accepted that the baby who came is the son of God, that he came to save us, that he died on the cross for us, that God not only gave us his son, but that his son gave us his life! The great meaning of Christmas is that God gave. And most of us have accepted, we believe. But what about that second part of the promise in Matthew –that he will be called Immanuel –God with us?
What does it mean for God to be with us? We have some kind of mystical acceptance of it, but does it really affect us, impact us to know God is with us? The presence of Christ does have an effect. The immediate effect, of course, is our salvation –we become the children of God. But more than that there is the effect of a growing and deeper communion with Christ.
Jesus would later refer to this as our abiding in Him. In John chapter 15 we see that Jesus is with His disciples and they are on their way to the Garden of Gethsemene. They have had their meal, what we often call the last supper, with Jesus and now they are walking through Jerusalem to the eastern gate of the city which leads to the mount of Olives. As they walk, they pass the temple, this huge structure that dominates the city. They may have even stopped at one of the familiar places where Jesus would teach from in the previous week. We don’t know this, but we can imagine how this is quite possible because Jesus now talks about the vine (John 15:1) Why?
Well, inside the temple grounds, near the entrance to the holy place there is a large purple curtain supported by a large gold beam. Josephus the historian of that period, writes that there was hung by that curtain a large grapevine of pure gold representing Israel. Wealthy citizens would bring gifts of gold to be made into grapes or leaves or other parts of the grapevine.
The grapevine and the vineyard were significant and ancient symbols in Israel and represented the covenant people of God, planted and tended by Him so Israel could produce fruit (Burge pg. 417). Psalm 80:8,9,14-15. And in Isaiah 5:7 we read, “the vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of His delight.” Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Hosea also talk about Israel being the vineyard of God. And so there is a special place that the vine has for Israel. To look on this great golden grapevine, here in the very temple of God, we to be reminded that God has planted and cares for His people.
With this huge, magnificent, golden vine and large clusters of golden grapes hanging down I can well imagine Jesus standing there and looking at them and then turning to his disciples and saying, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” Jesus often would do this, take something that was ordinary, or visible and use it as a teaching tool “behold, look to the fields that are white and ready for harvest.” “Whose picture is on this coin? Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s!”
And then he brings the challenge and the blessing of Immanuel. “Remain in me and I will remain in you.” Remain-abide. I like that word abide much better, although it certainly does mean remain. We can abide because he is with us. It is hard to be with someone if they are not there. But he is Immanuel –God with us. His presence, his presence! In our lives. Immanuel!
As we read these few words that Jesus gave to His disciples as they made their way to the mount of Olives, we can see that he is comforting and challenging them with something they knew –the work of the master with the vine. And he applies it to their remaining in him –to abide. And in this he gives 5 gifts of grace to us as we abide.
The first gift is growth in Christ. Abide in me and you will bear fruit. The purpose of the branch, us, we who are abiding in Immanuel, is to grow. To grow s a vine! Paul says we are to grow up into Him, Christ, who is the head. We are to grow in our likeness of Jesus, the vine. As we abide, he has already promised us the Holy Spirit, the comforter, who will teach us and guide us. We grow by abiding, by remaining, by being attached to Immanuel. God with us! God in us! This great gift is given to us to grow –to learn to be more like the one God loves best, grow to become more and more like His children.

The second gift is cleanness. Verse 3 says we are already clean, clean because of the word Jesus gave us. How are we clean? Our sins are washed away! He has cleansed us from our sins! Immanuel, God with us, died for us, cleansed us, making us a pure and spotless gift for the father. We are washed clean through Jesus Christ because he came as a child, grew to a man and died for us. The image of clean with regards to the vine and the branches is that the gardener would come along and lift up any branch that is in the dirt. He cleans it off and lifts it up and sets it higher. He cleans us from our sins, that which makes us unfit, un-right to go before a holy and pure God. We read elsewhere we are made holy –we are set apart and sanctified. All big concepts to say this –we are clean because of Jesus. God cannot and will not allow anything unclean in his presence. Can we grasp that? We are made clean by the master for the master so we can be with the master –Immanuel!

The third gift is productivity. Verse 4. Our purpose is to grow but even more it is to bear fruit. I like t grow tomatoes, as many of you do. I like it when I see the little yellow flowers come and then they turn into little buds that grow and become green then orange then red. The purpose is to get fruit. I have grown some really nice looking tomatoes plants that have been some of the most healthy and full plants ever, but never had one bud, one tomato. They look good, but their purpose is not met –they did not have any fruit. Many Christians today are like that –we look really good but our productivity is not great. Why? I think it is largely because we do not abide with Immanuel. Listen carefully to verse 4 again and then the following verses which expand on it (4-8). When we abide, as we abide, as we focus on Him, learn from Him, grow in Him, become more like him, as we abide with Immanuel, we become productive. The gift of Immanuel, God with us is that we are productive for Him –we bear fruit.
The fourth gift is security. We talk a lot about security today. Many of you who are travelling this Christmas will feel the effects of increased security. We may sometimes not like it, but better safe than sorry! And we look for security in our homes, with our finances, with our children. We protect our computers and private information. If we do not –well, I found out this last week what happens when I don’t –One of my computers picked up a virus that took over. Why, I didn’t have that security I should have. Security is something we are and should be very conscious of in our world. And in our eternity. Verse 9-10. If you obey my commands, YOU WILL remain in my love! Talk about security –YOU WILL! This is a guarantee better than any anti-virus, better than any insurance, better than any security screening it is made by the Lord God himself, Immanuel –God with us! And even more Jesus ahs gives us His spirit, remember? Paul in Ephesians 1:13-13 (let me read). Guarantee! WOW! If we remain in Him, abide in Him, live Immanuel, talk about security. And then, Jesus goes on to pray these words (John 17:11-12, and then verse 23. Immanuel, God with us!

The fifth gift is prayer power. Verse 16. We often take this verse out of context, or in isolation. Whatever you ask the Father will give. Hold on here! We must take this in the context of abiding in him. He has loved us, chosen us, filled us, given His Spirit to us, given us His joy, He has given us His commands and the call, the challenge to obey. He sets the rule of love in our hearts. The first four gifts must be opened and working in our lives for the fifth gift to be empowered! Listen to verse 16, there is a wonderful gift and promise there to be sure but take not, “I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit –fruit that will last, then the father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Are you bearing fruit? Are you living the life of abiding? Are you going out and living in obedience? Are you loving others as commanded? Is Immanuel being realized in you? Then ask, ask in order that Immanuel may be realized, ask that you may love, ask that you may bear fruit, ask that your joy may be full, ask that you be clean and lifted up, ask that you grow, ask to be secure, ask to abide and experience Immanuel, and for He is able to do more than you can ask or imagine! Ask in Jesus Name, the name of Immanuel, the name of the vine, the name that is above every other name.
Friends we had these 5 wonderful gifts of grace through Immanuel as we abide –remain, stick fast, grow. Immanuel, God with us. Remain in him, Abide in Him and he will do more than you could ask or imagine!